How to Make Money Online in Nigeria as a Student: Ultimate Guide

Hey there, fellow students of Nigeria! 🎓 Are you tired of the same old routine of asking your parents for pocket money or relying solely on your meagre allowance? Well, guess what? The internet has opened up a host of opportunities for you to earn some extra cash without leaving the comfort of your dorm rooms. In this article, I’m going to dive into the exciting topic of how to make money online in Nigeria as a student. 🌍💰

Let’s face it: the Nigerian economy is in terrible shape, with inflation draining the money from your pockets. The fact is that nothing is guaranteed in Nigeria because the system is not working. Even if you graduate and manage to get a job, there’s no guarantee that it will make you rich.

Let me tell you a short story: Jide, a young and broke college student in Nigeria, faced the familiar struggles of making ends meet while juggling the demands of his studies. However, his life took an extraordinary turn when he delved into the world of online opportunities.

Jide was always broke; he barely managed to eat. One day, he stumbled on a post in one of the Facebook groups he belonged to. The post was about how to create designs with a smartphone.

Jide was hooked. He had a phone, but it wasn’t making him any money. He decided to learn, and after spending a week learning the skill, he got good at it and began to advertise his skill on his wall and in other groups. He usually charged between N2,000 and N5,000 per design job.

With time, he learned about Upwork and was able to buy a laptop, with which he learned graphic design by watching video tutorials. This young man was on his way to becoming a millionaire because he was earning dollars. With time, Jide was living large in his final year.

This story could be your story, but only if you are determined to succeed, like Jide.

Jide’s Story: From Broke to Millionaire

Jide’s tale is one of determination, innovation, and seizing opportunities. As a student who once relied solely on a meagre allowance, he refused to let financial constraints define his path. With a strong desire to change his circumstances, Jide set out to explore the vast realm of online money-making.

Here are some practical ways that you can make money online in Nigeria as a student. These options may cost you some money, but remember, there’s no gain without pain.

The money you spend on sports betting or unnecessary expenses can be invested in lucrative ventures online. If you focus and are consistent, your future self will be grateful you took that step.

Practical Ways to Make Money Online in Nigeria as a Student

Blogging: Sharing Your Passion with the World

If you have a passion for writing, it could be more than just a hobby. By starting a blog, you can share your insights, experiences, and expertise while generating income through advertisements and affiliate marketing.

A lot of people have made it big by blogging. I’m talking about people like Linda Ikeji, whose net worth is in the millions of dollars, Seun Osewa who is the owner of Nairaland, blogs like Olufamous, Legit.ng, and others.

You can start with a little investment, like a used laptop and some money for a domain name and hosting, and you’re good to go. The good thing is that you don’t even need to write articles by yourself; AI can do that for you!

You can use AI tools like Chat GPT to write articles. Just edit and make corrections before you post. With time, your blog can become a source of passive income for you. I have written an article on how to start a blog for free. You should check it out.

Content Writing: Turning Words into Wealth

If you don’t want to start a blog, you can go into content writing. Many businesses and websites are eager to pay for quality articles, and this can be a solid income stream for you if you know what you are doing.

You can write articles for blogs, email newsletters, website copy, and a host of other written materials and get paid. If you know what you’re doing, it can make you thousands of dollars through the right freelance platform like Upwork or Fiverr.

Nowadays, with AI technology, you can write an article in just seconds, thanks to platforms like Chat GPT, Jasper AI, Koala AI Writer, and others.

Graphic Design: Creativity Equals Cash

If you have an artistic flair, you can explore graphic design and leverage it to design marketing materials for businesses. In our story, Jide used just his smartphone to design logos, letterheads, and other materials for a fee.

You can also do this. From crafting logos to designing promotional materials, you can tap into the visual needs of businesses and clients, thereby earning substantial profits. There are apps like Pixellab, Canva, Desygner, GoDaddy Studio, and lots of other apps with which you can create designs with a professional touch.

Alternatively, if you have a PC or laptop, you can learn graphic design and become a freelance designer. Sites like Fiverr, Upwork, Freelancer, and others are great places to sell your skills for income in dollars.

Comedy Skits: Laughter and Income

If you have a sense of humour, it could be your ticket to success in the world of comedy skits. Think about skit makers like MC Mbakara, Brain Jotter, Nedu Wazobia, Investor Sabinus, and a host of others who are cashing out millions of naira monthly.

There was a time when skit-making wasn’t popular, but nowadays, it’s not the same anymore. In fact, new skit makers are popping up everywhere because of how lucrative it is. However, if you must succeed in this area, you have to stand out: be unique in your approach.

Create your own brand and create relatable and hilarious videos for social media, especially Facebook. With time, you could be drawing in a massive audience and attracting brand partnerships.

Consistency is the one thing that will help you succeed as a skit maker in Nigeria. This is because it is extremely challenging to build an audience, but there is room for everyone. You can even grow to become a social media influencer. It starts with creating a Facebook page!

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Social Media Management: Nurturing Online Presence

Recognizing the impact of social media, you can manage the online profiles of small businesses for a fee. By helping them engage with their audience and expand their reach, you can earn both recognition and income.

Social media management is one way you can make money online in Nigeria as a student because you don’t need an office or buy equipment. You need just your phone and data to do this.

All you need to do is set up a Facebook page for your business, clearly stating what you do. You can build up your portfolio by offering this service for free initially. This first client will refer other potential clients to you. Subsequently, you can charge a fee.

A good place to start is by watching helpful YouTube videos on social media management, or even taking a free course that is available online.

Website Design: Building Digital Real Estate

Website design is another way to make money online in Nigeria as a student. Many businesses need a website in order to remain relevant in today’s world. All you need to do is get a used laptop and learn how to use WordPress to create user-friendly and visually appealing websites for clients.

WordPress is easy to use, is versatile in that you can build just about any type of website by using themes. I run all my blogs on WordPress, and I personally recommend it.

Each website that you build is a piece of digital real estate, contributing to your growing wealth. You can even have your own hosting platform that you can resell to other website designers.

The good thing about website design is that it is a source of recurring income – your clients will need to renew their website hosting annually. If you have about 20 websites you manage, they could be bringing in money for you just about every other month.

YouTube Channel: Sharing Knowledge and Profits

By starting a YouTube channel, you can share your knowledge, expertise, and passion through video content. YouTube has a system of rewarding creators by sharing advertising dollars with them.

If you are consistent and build up your subscriber base, YouTube will reward you. You need to conduct research on the niches that you can build a channel around. The views and subscribers can translate into advertising revenue, sponsorships, and even more income through affiliate marketing.

Mini Importation: E-commerce Success

You can venture into the world of e-commerce through mini-importation. Mini-importation is simply importing trending products and reselling them in Nigeria.

This is a great way to make money online in Nigeria as a student because you don’t need a shop to keep your products. There are products that you won’t easily find in the market that you can source from AliExpress at competitive prices. People are willing to buy these products because they are not available in shops in Nigeria.

You can easily setup a product catalog on WhatsApp and probably run some advertising to make sales. Though this method is kind of tedious, it can be lucrative because you can add high markups to your products and make good profits.

Owodaily: A Platform for Earnings

Owodaily is one of the platforms where you can make money online in Nigeria as a student. According to the website, Owodaily connects advertisers and freelancers in a mutually beneficial way.

Owodaily offers freelancers like students a way to earn money by installing apps, writing reviews, following and liking people on social media, subscribing to YouTube channels, and more. Meanwhile, the platform allows advertisers to list these jobs for a fee.

Owodaily had a free plan, but they have scrapped it. Presently, they have two paid plans: N5,000 for the basic and N15,000 for the Owodaily+ plan, both annual. Both plans allow you to make money, but you have more opportunities to make money with the higher plan.

Here’s a video that explains the process in a little bit more detail, courtesy of Franklin Emmanuel.

ViralTrend: Spreading Content for Profit

Like Owodaily, ViralTrend is a platform that rewards you for sharing sponsored content on your social media accounts. There is no limit to how much you can earn on ViralTrend.

All you need is your smartphone and data to earn on this platform. So what are you waiting for?

Having gone through some ways to make money online in Nigeria as a student, let’s see some benefits of pursuing an online business next.

Benefits of Pursuing an Online Business

Flexibility and Autonomy

An online business offers you flexibility and freedom from a regular job. You can manage your time, balance your studies, and nurture your online business according to your schedule.

Global Reach

The digital realm allows you to transcend geographical limitations. Your clients and audience span the globe, giving you exposure to diverse cultures and markets. What this means is that you are not limited to Nigerian clients alone, but international ones as well.

Diverse Income Streams

By diversifying your online endeavors, these efforts can ensure that your income is not dependent on a single source. This stability can protect you from financial uncertainties.

How to receive money from your Online Business

You need a domiciliary account, and probably a Payoneer account in order to receive your income in Nigeria. I recommend GTBank or Access Bank for a domiciliary account.

Whenever your Payoneer balance gets up to $50 or above, you can withdraw it to your domiciliary account in Nigeria.

Concluding Thoughts: Your Online Journey Awaits

Your journey from a financially strained student to a millionaire is possible; you can actually make money online as a student in Nigeria. The avenues we explored – from blogging to e-commerce – are only a fraction of the possibilities available. With determination, dedication, and a willingness to learn, you can embark on your own online journey of making money as a student.

Don’t forget, you have the advantage of technology and the internet at your fingertips. The digital world is a playground of opportunities, waiting for you to take the first step. Whether you’re a budding writer, a creative designer, or a social media enthusiast, the path to online success is within your reach.

Remember, just like Jide, your journey might begin with humble beginnings, but with persistence and a strategic approach, you can create a thriving online empire. So, start exploring, start learning, and start earning; your future as an online entrepreneur is waiting to be written.

Frequently Asked Questions